This invention relates generally to service features available to telecommunications service subscribers. More particularly, the invention is related to the activation and deactivation of such features, such as call forwarding, voice mail, etc.
The use of telecommunications, along with cellular telephones, has grown tremendously in the past few years. Service providers continually search for new features to offer subscribers in conjunction with basic communication services. Such call features include call forwarding, voice mail, call waiting, selective call forwarding, auto redial on busy, and a multitude of others.
Society has also become increasingly mobile. Thus, subscribers to telecommunications services move between various locations, such as the office, home, and automobile, on a regular basis. Depending on the particular location, it may be more convenient to receive calls at a desktop telephone, on a cellular telephone, or at a business associate""s phone in another office. To provide for this particular need, call forwarding services are available, and can be activated by entering a feature code into the telephone where the service is to be activated. Unfortunately, there is no fool-proof system for reminding a subscriber to activate/deactivate this type of service. One must rely on personal notes, paper reminders, or some other mechanism to forward calls from the office to the home, and vice-versa, for example. If the subscriber forgets to make the appropriate transfer, he may be subject to receiving all business calls at home, when he is actually located in the office. This can be inconvenient and costly. On the other hand, if the subscriber forgets to activate the service in the first place, business callers may miss communicating with a subscriber whenever he returns home.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for automated activation/deactivation of call features. Such a system should operate to automatically activate/deactivate call features selected by the subscriber. The ideal system and method would obviate the need for any type of personal reminder, operating to activate/deactivate call features in response to the current location of the subscriber. For example, such a system and method might automatically activate a voice mail service for callers dialing an office number whenever the subscriber leaves the office. The system and method would also automatically deactivate the voice mail feature when the subscriber re-entered the office.
The invention provides a mechanism for automatically activating and deactivating call features selected by a subscriber, depending on the proximity of the subscriber to a selected location. Thus, for example, an office worker may elect to have all calls to his telephone forwarded to a colleague whenever he leaves his office. The forwarding feature would be deactivated upon returning to his own office. In this manner, call forwarding is automatically active in a manner appropriate to the location of the subscriber.
The invention includes a system for automated activation/deactivation of a call feature which includes a fixed device and a portable device. The fixed device transmits an input signal and includes a receiver. The portable device, which follows the subscriber, includes a receiver for receiving the input signal, and a transmitter for sending an answerback signal to the receiver of the fixed device. The answerback signal is sent only in response to receiving the input signal at the portable device receiver. Assuming that the call feature has two steps, such as a first (e.g. activated) state and a second (e.g., deactivated) state, whenever the portable device comes within the limited range of the fixed device, the call feature can be placed in the second state, and whenever the fixed device receiver fails to receive the answerback signal, the call feature can be placed in the first state. For example, when the subscriber, wearing the portable device, enters his office, a voice mail feature can be placed in the second (e.g., deactivated) state, and when he leaves his office, the voice mail feature can be put in the first (e.g., activated) state. The system may also include a telephone dealer, which is used to place the call feature into the activated or deactivated state.
The invention may also be embodied by a system for automated activation/deactivation and selection of a plurality of call features, including a fixed device and a portable device. In this case, the portable device transmitter sends an answerback signal and a feature selection signal, such that a particular feature selected by the subscriber at the portable device is activated/deactivated whenever the portable device comes within the limited range of the fixed device (i.e., the feature selection signal is sent from the portable device to the fixed device in response to selection of one of the plurality of call features).
The invention also includes a portable device for automated activation/deactivation of a call feature, wherein the portable device communicates with a fixed device having a transmitter and receiver. The portable device includes a receiver to receive the input signal, and a transmitter for sending an answerback signal to the fixed device in response to receiving the input signal at the portable device receiver. The call feature is placed in the first state when the fixed device receiver fails to receive the answerback signal.
The invention also includes a fixed device for automated activation/deactivation of a call feature. The fixed device communicates with a portable device having a receiver and transmitter which sends an answerback signal to the fixed device. The fixed device includes a transmitter for sending an input signal to the portable device receiver, and a fixed device receiver to receive the answerback signal. The fixed device also includes a processing circuit to place the call feature in the first state when the fixed device receiver fails to receive the answerback signal.
Finally, the invention includes a method for automated activation/deactivation of a call feature comprising the steps of transmitting an input signal to a portable device receiver, receiving the input signal by the portable device receiver, transmitting an answerback signal in response to receiving the input signal, and receiving the answerback signal and placing the call feature in the second state. Otherwise, if the answerback signal is not received, the call feature is placed in the first state.